20000103

Kremlin says Putin can't lose election

MOSCOW: Acting Russian President Vladimir Putin, catapulted into the Kremlin by Boris Yeltsin's shock resignation on New Year's Eve, is more or less certain to win a presidential election in March, a top aide said.

Russia must hold the election within three months to pick a formal successor for Yeltsin, who resigned on Sunday after nearly a decade running the world's largest country.

But Putin assumes the president's powers until the vote, while remaining prime minister. The tough-talking former spy is hugely popular, and mounting a credible campaign against him in such a short time seems an insurmountable task.

Asked at a news briefing if anybody other than Putin could win, First Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff Igor Shabdurasulov said: "I think such an outcome is unrealistic."

He said the best result would be for Putin to win outright in a first round, since holding a second round run-off, if Putin wins less than 50 percent of the vote, would "waste time".

Shabdurasulov said he did not expect Putin would carry out any special election campaigning, but would prove himself through his work as acting president and premier.

The election campaign will be brief. Candidates will have only until February 10 to gather one million signatures to register for the ballot, assuming parliament confirms the date of March 26 for the election.

Shabdurasulov said there were likely to be some minor changes in the cabinet and presidential administration under Putin, "but nothing on a large scale".

The only personnel change Shabdurasulov mentioned was that of Yeltsin's daughter, Tatyana Dyachenko, who holds the title of Kremlin adviser, but would "probably change her status".

PUTIN MAKES VIGOUROUS START

Putin made a vigorous start as Russia's acting president with a trip to breakaway Chechnya in the early hours of Saturday to wish his troops a happy new year. On Sunday he met Russia's chief civilian representative to Chechnya, Nikolai Koshman.

Shabdurasulov said the New Year's morning trip to the battle zone had been previously planned, and it was wrong to regard it is a first shot in the election campaign.

Putin is known in the West mainly for his uncompromising Chechnya policy, which has been strongly criticised abroad. But his rise to power won a cordial reception from U.S. President Bill Clinton and other leaders.

"Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of the mass media, the right to private property - all these basic principles of a civilised society will be reliably protected by the state," Putin said in a New Year's Eve address to his countrymen before flying to Chechnya.

Heartened by these words, Clinton told Putin in a 10-minute telephone conversation on Saturday that U.S.-Russia relations under Putin's leadership were "off to a good start".

"(Putin) reaffirmed his commitment to the core value of democracy," White House spokesman Joe Lockhart told reporters.

However, the two men also touched on areas like Chechnya where they disagree.

YELTSIN HAS HAPPY NEW YEAR

Shabdurasulov said Yeltsin had taken his decision to resign on his own, and had celebrated his happiest New Year in years after stepping down.

"His mood was excellent," Shabdurasulov said. "He even said that it was the first time in years he had met the new year in such high spirits."

Yeltsin's wife, Naina, was "relieved" as well, he said.

Putin has signed a decree granting Yeltsin immunity from prosecution and guaranteeing security for him and his family.

Shabdurasulov said those guarantees would soon be worked into a law, which he expected to be passed soon by the State Duma, parliament's lower house, elected on December 19 with a strong showing for parties that back Putin.

He also said Yeltsin would probably continue to be addressed as "president", as are former presidents in the United States.

"We haven't been through this before," he said. "(But) we should follow the best example of democracy and address a person who occupied the office of president of the Russian Federation with the appropriate respect."

Most people quizzed by Reuters said they thought Yeltsin, long dogged by ill health, had done the right thing by quitting.

But the man who has dominated Russian politics for the past decade has not completely left public life. Next Wednesday he makes a long-planned trip to the Holy Land to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas at Christ's birthplace in Bethlehem.-Reuters